On an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, a power supply circuit disconnection device (service plug) capable of disconnecting electrification between a power supply unit and a load is mounted for the purpose of ensuring operation safety in maintenance of an electrical system thereof. As this type of conventional power supply circuit disconnection device, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-100382 (Patent Literature 1).
As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, this power supply circuit disconnection device 100 includes: a first connector housing 101; a second connector housing 110 that is fitted to and separated from the first connector housing 101; and a lever 120 that is rotatably and slidably provided on the second connector housing 110, and applies, by rotation thereof, fitting force and separation force between the second connector housing 110 and the first connector housing 101.
On both side surfaces of the first connector housing 101, a pair of cam pins 102 are protruded. In the first connector housing 101, a one-side main terminal (not shown) and a one-side signal terminal (not shown) are individually provided. The one-side main terminal (not shown) is arranged in a connector fitting chamber. The one-side signal terminal (not shown) is arranged in an external hood portion 104.
On both side surfaces of the second connector housing 110, a pair of support shafts 111 are protruded. In the second connector housing 110, an other-side main terminal (not shown) is provided.
On both side surfaces of the lever 120, a pair of support shaft receiving grooves 121 are formed. Each of the support shaft receiving grooves 121 is composed of: a rotation support portion 121a that supports rotation of the support shaft 111; and a slide support portion 121b that communicates therewith, and supports sliding movement of the support shaft 111. In such a way, the lever 120 is supported on the second connector housing 110 so as to be freely rotatable and slidable. On both side surfaces of the lever 120, a pair of cam grooves 122 are provided. Each of the cam grooves 122 is composed of: a curve portion 122a that gradually changes a distance thereof from the rotation support portion 121a; and a straight portion 122b that communicates therewith, and is extended in parallel to the slide support portion 121b. The cam pins 102 of the first connector housing 101 are inserted into the pair of cam grooves 122. On a side portion of the lever 120, a connector 104 in which an other-side signal terminal (not shown) is housed is arranged. The other-side signal terminal (not shown) is arranged in the hood portion 124.
A main circuit switch (not shown) is composed of both of the main terminals (not shown). A signal circuit switch (not shown) is composed of both of the signal terminals (not shown).
In the above-described configuration, a description is made of a power supply conductive operation of the power supply circuit disconnection device 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the second connector housing 110 in which the lever 120 is set at a first operation position is inserted into the connector fitting chamber (not shown) of the first connector housing 101, and in addition, the cam pins 102 are inserted into inlets of the cam grooves 122 of the lever 120. Both of the connector housings 101 and 110 turn to a temporarily fitted state of a connector.
The lever 120 is rotated from the first operation position to a second operation position. Then, the cam pins 102 move in the cam grooves 122, the fitting force is applied between the second connector housing 110 and the first connector housing 101, and the second connector housing 110 is gradually inserted into the connector fitting chamber of the first connector housing 101.
As shown in FIG. 2, when the lever 120 is rotated to a fitting operation position of the connector, the first connector housing 101 and the second connector housing 110 turn to a completely fitted state. Both of the main terminals (not shown) gradually contact each other in the course to such a connector fitting operation position, and turn to a contact state at the connector fitting operation position. In such a way, the main circuit switch (not shown) turns to an ON state at the connector fitting operation position.
Next, the lever 120 is slidingly moved from the connector fitting operation position to the second operation position. In the course of this sliding movement, both of the signal terminals (not shown) gradually contact each other, and as shown in FIG. 3, turn to a contact state at the second operation position. In such a way, the signal circuit switch SW2 is in the ON state at an operation completion position of the lever 120.
Moreover, a power supply disconnection operation of the power supply circuit disconnection device 100 is performed by operating the lever 120 reversely to the above. That is to say, the lever 120 at the second operation position is slidingly moved to the connector fitting operation position, and is rotationally moved from the connector fitting operation position to the first operation position.
The power supply circuit disconnection device 100 does not turn a power supply circuit (not shown) to a conductive state until both of the main circuit switch (not shown) and the signal circuit switch SW2 are switched on. That is to say, only in the case where the lever 120 is at the second operation position, the power supply circuit turns to the conductive state, and in the case where the lever 120 is at other operation positions, the power supply circuit is in a non-conductive state.
In such a way, a situation is prevented, which is caused by a mistake that an operator determines the power supply circuit to be in the non-conductive state since the lever 120 is not at the second operation position.
Moreover, with regard to the lever 120, a slide operation thereof is performed from the second operation position to the connector fitting operation position, and a rotation operation thereof is performed from the connector fitting operation position to the first operation position. Therefore, there can be ensured a time lag in the operation of the lever 120 from the second operation position to the first operation position, that is, a time lag from when the signal circuit switch (not shown) is switched off to when the main circuit switch (not shown) is switched off. Accordingly, there does not occur a malfunction such as sparks resulting from an amount of electricity remaining after the signal circuit switch (not shown) is switched off.